Venice is well known as one of the most alluring cities in the world. It’s featured in numerous films and its one-of-a-kind layout as a city crisscrossed by canals makes it seem particularly special. Throw in an ancient history and all kinds of interesting buildings, monuments, and museums, and Venice, Italy can be a sightseer’s best dream come true.
The city is more than a postcard in motion, however. It also provides a lot of interesting things to do if you’re a traveller who likes to take a more active approach.
Canals of Venice
Venice – Grand Canal Rides
There are a lot of smaller canals that act as combinations of streets and alleys throughout Venice. But the Grand Canal is Venice’s main artery and primary boulevard, a legitimate main street made out of water. Naturally, as such a prominent attraction, it is packed with gondolas, ferries, and other vessels, and that means you have ample opportunity to actually get out on the canal and ride along. A gondola tour is probably the most commonly recommended activity when you visit Venice, and it’s with good reason. This is certainly something to aim for during your trip.
Venice Opera Shows
You don’t need to be an opera enthusiast to appreciate the opera scene in this particular city. Here you’ll find incredible theatres and opera houses, most notably the Teatro La Fenice. This is a venue marked by gilded décor, cozy red seats, and the lingering atmosphere of a bygone era. You can hear some of the better opera performances in the world there, and occasionally catch other kinds of dances and musical performances as well.
Venice Casino Play
Italy doesn’t have much of a reputation for casinos around the world, but don’t let that fool you. It’s a country that appreciates opulence, and was mentioned alongside the UK as the largest market for NetEnt, which is one of the major online casino game developers. In Venice, however, you can go beyond online gaming and enjoy the Venice Casino – an old, ornate, and fascinating place that meets any traveller’s gaming needs. You don’t even need to be an enthusiastic casino gamer to enjoy it – it’s quite something just to walk through and perhaps have a drink.
Venice Food & Wine Tours
As is true of many cities in Italy, Venice has outstanding food and wine that you shouldn’t miss. Numerous types of pasta and seafood headline the list of traditional Venice foods, and wines from the surrounding regions abound. This city in particular is also known for sparkling wine and various cocktail-like drinks that use it as a base. You’ll enjoy exploring the city for great food and wine on your own (perhaps with the help of a guide book), but you can also find tours designed to help you experience the best the city has to offer.
Venice Mountain Hike
Because Venice is essentially at sea level, we don’t really think of it as being associated with traditional hikes. However, one excellent activity to consider if you’re on vacation there is a brief day trip outside the city. You can spend a day in the Dolomite Mountains, and in fact there are guided tours that help you do so. You can be driven out to the main area and then go exploring, hiking the mountains and taking in lakeside scenery. It’s always nice to have this sort of option during an extended stay in a city, as you may just want to escape the crowds at some point.
